Smith confident despite 1-for-23 postseason skid: 'No panic from me'

LOS ANGELES -- As the Dodgers returned to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday for an off-day workout, the mood was understandably urgent. Trailing 2-0 in the National League Championship Series after dropping the first two games in Milwaukee, Los Angeles finds itself in unfamiliar playoff territory.

For a lineup built to overwhelm opponents, the entire roster has had its fair share of scuffles. While Shohei Ohtani naturally commands the heaviest spotlight in the clubhouse, catcher Will Smith's offensive skid has drawn intense scrutiny of its own as the Dodgers look to spark a turnaround.

Entering Game 3, Smith finds himself in a 1-for-23 slump to open the postseason. Yet, despite what the numbers say, the veteran catcher's demeanor has remained as steady as his defensive work behind the plate.

"It's been [six] games," Smith said. "Obviously you want the results to be a little better, but at the end of the day, it's [six] games at the plate. No panic from me. So I'll be fine."

After missing nearly three months due to a stubborn neck injury, Smith returned on Sept. 1 and hit .290 with a .948 OPS over his final 21 regular-season games, but the postseason has brought a sharp dip in performance. His expected batting average has dropped from .288 in September to .135 in the playoffs, while his expected slugging percentage has fallen from .525 to .198. He is also making less hard contact -- his hard-hit rate has dropped from 46% to 33.3% -- while his chase rate has crept up to 27% and his swing-and-miss rate has reached 28%.

Opposing pitchers have noticed, adjusting their attack by feeding Smith a steady diet of fastballs, which have made up 62% of the pitches he has seen this October, up from 51% in September. The timing has been the main culprit: Smith is 0-for-12 with five strikeouts against fastballs this postseason, with Statcast metrics indicating he has been late on 55% of his swings -- the highest mark of any hitter in the playoffs with at least 10 swings against fastballs.

Still, there are subtle signs that his swing isn't far off. When Smith does connect, he continues to elevate the ball effectively, posting a 67% air contact rate and a 33% line drive rate in October. For Smith, it is less about fixing a broken swing and more about catching up to the velocity.

Trying to regain your timing at the plate while enduring the demand of catching every playoff inning is no easy feat. To help ease the burden, manager Dave Roberts shifted Smith down from third to fifth in the order for Game 2. Still, Roberts made it clear the move was about balance rather than a lack of faith, reiterating his desire to keep Smith higher in the order once his rhythm returns. That public backing carries weight for an anchor who has earned the clubhouse's trust over years of postseason runs.

Beyond the batter's box, Smith's defensive stewardship has remained spotless, as he has caught every single inning for Los Angeles this October. Learning to compartmentalize his at-bats from his duties behind the plate was something he picked up early in his career.

"I don't know when I learned it, but it's definitely something you have to do in the big leagues," Smith said. "I think my rookie year put a big emphasis on that, talking to some of the older guys and stuff like that. Yeah, that's just part of my job."

If history is any indication, a breakout could come at any moment. Since his rookie season in 2019, Smith has delivered 127 regular-season and postseason hits that have either tied the game or given the Dodgers the lead -- trailing only Max Muncy (150), Mookie Betts (139) and Freddie Freeman (137) in that span. From his clutch World Series hits to his four career pinch-hit walk-off home runs, big October moments are familiar territory for him.

As the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3, the Dodgers' championship aspirations hang in the balance. If Los Angeles wants to climb out of an 0-2 hole against the Brewers, getting its star catcher on track at the plate isn't just a luxury -- it’s essential.

And if you ask Smith, he's just one good swing away from turning the corner.